Control means for sheet feeding or delivering, or the like



Aug. 16, 1932. L. EAMILLER 5 CONTROL MEANS FOR SHEET FEEDING 0R DELIVERING, OR THE LIKE Filed July 50, 1930 INVENTOR.

Allo d a. mifier ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 v UNITED, STATES PATENT orricr.

LLOYD E. MILLER, OF CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE RELIANCE ELEC- TRIO AND ENGINEERING COMPANY, OHIO OF CLEVELAND, 01-110, A COEPOB .JIIOLN OE" CONTROL MEANS FOR. SHEET FEEDING DELIVERING, OR TI-I E LIKE Application filed .iul 30,

This invention relates to controls for sheet feeding or delivering, or the like where desired conditions of speed or tension are to be had; and it is among the objects of the in- };vention to provide a construction which can afford accurate control to speed or tenson as may be required and without undue complication of the machines involved. Other objects and advantages will appear as the de- 2 scription proceeds. i

To the accomplishment of the foregoing an d related ends, the invention, then, consists of the features hereinafter fully described,

...and particularly pointed out in the claims, iifi'the following description and the annexed drawing setting forth in detail certain embodiments of the invention, such being illus trative however of but a few of the various -ways in which the principle of the invention 'mav be employed.

In said annexed drawing Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one embodiment of the invention Fig. 2 is a simi- 4 lar view of another form and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a detail of the construction of the control motor.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, there is indicated a moving surface, in the 'formof a roll R, and which forms a part of a roll assemblage such for instance as for the handling of sheet material. In such a construction, the material in sheet or web form may be handled as desired, as for instance on a windup roll, or by a pinch-roll. functioning of the mechanism or as a trough-roll arrangement, as the case maybe. Connected mechanically is an electromagnetic rotor 2, which "may be the armature of a driving motor for the roll, or a generator acting as a brake on the roll. In the case for instance where sheet'material, such for example as a web of paper, textile, metal or the like is being forwarded on the roll positively driven, the rotor 2 is an armature arranged to recurve current from a gen erator G, and has associated a field 3 supplied by current from the line 4, connected to any suitable sourceof D. C. In the armature circuitis a control motive device energized in such circuit. If in the form of a motor, as

illustrated witharmature 5, the windings 1930. Serial No. 171325.

-may be such as to preferably provide a low torque, and the associated field 6 may be supplied wlth current by leads 7. Acting upon the control motor 5 is a means tending to move-such motor counterwise, or in a direc suspended for example from one end of a.

cable 10 and the other end of the cable being woundupon the pulley.

Arranged to be. operated by the control motive device 5 is a means regulating the driving motor, preferably by controlling the generator G, through its field 11 by a variable resistance 12. Such variable resistance may be actuated directly with a coupling to the motor shaft 13, or convenient intermediary drive may be applied as desired, as long as the resistance is operated in definite relation with the motive device 5. In order to prevent possible overrun of the control motor 5, and thereby an excessive change in the rheostat arm'controlling the field 11, I apply a damping means. In the form'shown in 1, this is of a mechanical character. and while a mechanical escape movement or a brake may be employed, preferably I employ a dashpot D. Instead of or in addition to mechanical damping means however, I also contemplate the employment of an electrical damping means,as embodying apreferable construction, and as will be referred to more in detail hereinafter.

.VVith such a construction, it will be seen that sheet material, for instance a web" of paper m'ay be handled onto the roll R, the

armature 20f the driving motor determining the speed thereof. The armature 5 of the control motor be ng energized in the armature circuit of the driving motortendsto turn, but the counter force of the weight 8 being in this state exactly equal and opposite, no movement of the-motor shaft 13 results.

Fine adjustment to the desired condition may be had by a rheostat 1% in the field 7 of such motor. If now, the tension on the material varies, for instance in the direction of an increase and the load correspondingly tends to increase current in armature 2, armature 5 also has its balance disturbed with respect to the counterweight, and a differential of movement results in the shaft 1.3, thereby operating the variable resistance 12, and the generator voltage is diminished to bring the driving motor to required condition.

In the form shown in Fig. 2, a moving surface, such as a roll R, which forms a part of a roll assemblage, as a forwarding roll or pinch rolls or trough rolls, such for instance as a wind-up roll for the handling of sheet material, is mounted with an electro-magnetic rotor 2, which may be the armature of a driving mot-or for the roll, or a generator acting as a brake on the roll. In association with the rotor is a field 3 supplied by current from the line 4:. In the circuit with the rotor 2 is the armature 5 of a control motor whose field 6 is supplied through leads 7 from a suitable line source. In one of such leads, an adjusting rheostat 14 is desirably included. One of the leads, 15, to the field 3 is provided with a rheostat 12, whose controller-arm a is carried by a shaft coupled to the motor 5. Similarly to the construction above described, there is also applied in connection with such shaft a means for tending to-move the control motor .counterwise, this preferably taking the form here of a counter torque motor 8, such for instance as a D. (l. shunt wound motor of low ourrent'capacity, which is stalled across the line and acts like the constant pull of the weight above de scribed (but assumed in Fig. Qto be in a' clock wise direction), the motor current being held to a low value by the internal resistance'of the motor or by the combination of the internal resistance and an external resistance 16 inseries with the motor armature. The desired amount of torque can be had by regulating the external resistance.

With this construction, as will be readily understood, with the feed of vmaterial at a certain speed onto a build-up roll for instance, and. the rotor 2 actingas an armature, and thereby producing the proper tension onthe material on the roll R, such wind ing tension is maintained until a change in the conditions occurs. building up the tension be increased, this would increase the work done by the motor 2, and the relation between the control motor .5

and the counter-torque motor 8 is then up-; set, such that the differential of action between the control IDOEOT'ZlIlCl its counter balance motor operates to adjust the rheostat 12 to bring the current to proper requirements to againcorrelate the roll R to requirements.

In such manner, a constant tension may be If. nowdue to the.

had. Again, where desired, a constant rate of feed may be maintained.

Similarly, if a web of paper or other material is being delivered off of roll R and the armature 2 is a braking armature, and it is desired to maintain a constant tension, the setting of rheostat 14- willhave been primarily adjusted to fix the balance at that tension. If then the tension tends to vary, as for instance with diminishing diameter of an unwinding roll, the armature 5 will be correspondingly influenced, and its balance with the counter-torque means 8 will be destroyed, and a differential of movement will result in the shaft 13, operating the variable resistance 12 to restore conditions in the braking generator 2. NJhen the machine 2 is acting as a braking generator, it may be connected into any suitable load circuit.

In order to prevent possible overrun of the control motor 5, mechanical braking or damping devices may be employed, as referred to in connection with Fig. 1. Preferably however, as before indicated, an electromagnetic damping means is employed in substitution of or in addition to the mechanical damping means. For this, the armature of the control motor is provided with a cylindrical member 17 of copper or other highly conductive metal (see 3), surrounding the armature and being'carried thereby outside of the windings an As the armature is rotated, E. M. F. will begenerated in the band 17,,and circulating currents will flow therein, producing a torque resisting the rotation. The E. M. F. so introduced, and the resultant torque is proportional to the speed of the motor- With suitably proportioned windings of the armature, the torque tending to, produce motion can be large as compared to the torque tending to resist motion at a low speed. Since the torque tending to produce motion remains the same regardless of speed, and the torque tending to resist motion varies d rectly with the speed, the opposing torques may be then such as totend to become equal before an inidesirably high speed and an overrun is attained, and correspondingly a damping action against such overrun is bad. With such means, the sensitivity of the control motor is in no way interfered with, and a. higher sensitivity is available than in the case of mere mechanical damping means,

since the latter incurcconsiderable frictional losses. Either control motor 5 or 5 may, of course, be so equipped.

In accordance with the invention, control may thus be had for linear speed or for tension in the sheet material as handled. on the rolls, as maybe desired; and the construction while advantageous in the handling of sheet material, cloth, metal, etc, on which a. constant lineal speed is being maintained from some outside source, and on which a constant tension is desired, in being forwarded or colyond the device here directly concerned.

This application is a continuation in part i of my application Ser. No. 432,613 filed March Other modes of applying the principleof the invention may be employed, change being made as regards the details described, provided the means stated in any of the following claims, or the equivalent of such, be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In apparatus of the character a roll assembly for handling sheet material, a driving motor therefor, a generator supply E. M. F. to said driving motor, a control motor energized in the armature circuit of said driving motor and said generator, a weight, a cable suspending said weight at one end and having its other end wound on a pulley secured to the control motor shaft to counter the normal moving tendency thereof, means for preventing overrun of said control motor, said means including a closed-circuit band about the armature of said motor, and a variable resistance in the -ter the normal moving tendency thereof,

means for regulating said counter-torque motor, a variable resistance in the field circuit of said driving motor also operated by said control motor shaft, and means for pre venting over-run of said control motor.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a roll assembly for handling sheet material, a driving motor therefor, a generator sup- 7 plying current for said driving motor, a control motor energized 1n the armature circuit of said driving motor. a counter-torque motor tending to turn said control motor shaft in an opposite direction, and a variable resistance in the field circuit of said generator operated by the movement of said control 4. In apparatus of the character described, a roll assembly for handling sheet material. a driving motor therefor, a control motor energized in the armature circuit of said described,

driving motor, a counter-torque motor tend ing to turn said control motor in the opposite. direction, means for preventing over run of said control motor, and means oper ated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said driving motor. I

5. In apparatus of the character described. a roll assembly for handling sheet material.

a driving motor therefor, a rotatable control motor energized in the armature circuit ofsaid driving motor, gravitational means tending to move sa1d control motor counterwise, and'means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said driving motor. q

6. In apparatus of the character described, a roll assembly for handling sheet material, an electromagnetic rotor connected there. with, a control motor energized to the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, a countertorque motor tending to turn said control motor oppositely, means for preventing overrun of said control motor, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor.

V 7. In apparatus of the character described, a rollassembly for handling sheet material, an electromagnetic rotor connected therewith, a rotatable control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, a counterweight tending to turn said control motor oppositely, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor.

8. .In apparatus of the character described,

motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor.

9. In apparatus of the character described,

a roll assembly for handling sheet material,

an electromagnetic rotor connected'therewith. a control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, gravitational means tending to move said control motor counterwise, means for preventing overrun of sa1d control motor, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor.

10. In apparatus of the character described, aroll assembly for handling sheet material, an electromagnetic rotor connected therewith, a rotatable control motor ener gized in the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, counter-torque means tending to move said control motor, counterwis e, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor.

11.;In apparatus of the character -de-:

therewith, a control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, means -.tending to move said control motor'counterwise, means for preventing overrun oi? said control motor, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to'regulate said electromagnetic rotor.

1'2. In apparatus of the character described, a roll assembly for handling sheet material, an electromagnetic rotor connected therewith, a rotatable control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagnetic ,rotor, means tending to move said control motor counterwise, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor. V

13. In apparatus of the characterdescribed, a driven machine, a driving motor connected therewith, a control motor energized in the armature circuit of said driving motor, means tending to move said control motor counterwise, means for preventing overrun of said control motor, said means including a closed-circuit band about the armature of said motor, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said driving motor. V

14: In apparatus of the character described, a driven machine, an electromagnetic rotor connected therewith, a control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagneticrotor, means tending to move said control motor counterwise, means for preventing overrun or" said control motor, said means including a closed-circuit band about the arma ture of said motor, and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor.

15. In apparatus of the character described, a driven machine, an electromagnet c rotor connected therewith, control.

, motor energized in the circuit of said electromagneticrotor, a counterweight tending to turn said control motor oppositely, damping means for preventing overrun of said control motor, and means operated by a movement in said control motor to regulate said elect-romagnetic rotor. I i

16. In apparatus of the character described, a driven machine, an electromagnetic rotor connected therewith, a control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, meanstending to move said control motor counterwise, damping means for preventing overrun of said control motor,

and means operated by the movement in said control motor to regulate said electromag netic rotor.

17. In apparatus of the character described, a driven machine, a driving motor connected therewith, rotatable control motor energized in the circuit of said driving motor, a counter-torque motor tending to turn said control motor oppositelyrand means operated by the movementin said con trol motor to regulate said driving motor.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a driven machine, a driving motor connected therewith, a rotatable control motor energized in the armature circuit of said driving motor, means tending to move said control motor oounterwise, and means operated by the movement in said control,

motor to regulate said driving motor.

19. In apparatus of the character described, a driven machine, an electromagnetic rotor connected therewith, a. rotatable control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, a counter-torque motor tending toturn said control motor oppositely, and means operated by a movement in said control motor to regulate said electromagnetic rotor. 3 r

20. In apparatus of the character described, a driven machine, an electromag netic rotorconnected therewith, a rotatable control motor energized in the circuit of said electromagnetic rotor, means tending to move said control motor counterwise, and means operated by the movement in said" control motor to regulate said electromagneticrotor.

Signed by me this 3rd day of July, 1930.

LLOYD E. MILLER. 

